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Thursday, November 21, 2013

WHITT'S END: 11.21.13

Whether you're at the end of your coffee, your day, your week or even your rope, welcome to Whitt's End:

*A frog for a Prince. In 2010 Ian Kinsler proposed a fantasy baseball trade to Prince Fielder: "Us for him?" Last night there was no "him" - as in Giants' pitcher Tim Lincecum - but there certainly was the reality of "us." The Rangers acquiring Fielder and $30 million in exchange for Kinsler is a complete coup for Texas. Fans in the Metroplex had long tired of Kinsler's pop-ups and he was blocking the progress of Jurickson Profar at second base. Though his power numbers have declined (from 50 homers in '07 all the way down to 25 in '13) and his playoff numbers are abysmal (.196, 1 homer, 3 RBI in 24 games), there's no reason not to think the Rangers' new 1st baseman can't put up 45 homers and 120 RBI whacking away at Rangers Ballpark's short porch in right field. The deal leaves the Rangers with an infield of Fielder, Profar, Elvis Andrus and Adrian Beltre. And the cash means that over the next four years they'll pay Fielder only $4 million more than were going to pay Kinsler. This is a huge win for Jon Daniels.

*Turned out to be a great night for Metroplex sports, because the Mavs are for real. Down 18 to the Rockets and being bludgeoned by Dwight Howard's post play, they rallied behind the dynamic duo of Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis for a pulsating 123-120 victory. That's as good of an NBA game as you'll ever see in November. Dirk was vintage. Ellis was relentless. And, despite being abused by Howard all game, Samuel Dalembert grabbed the game's key rebound. The Mavs will improve to 9-4 (7-0 at home) when they take care of 1-win Utah Friday night.

*Like his stats and persona and life, A-Fraud's temper tantrum yesterday was nothing more than a staged, transparent attempt to win public sentiment in his appeal of a 211-game suspension for his role in the Biogenesis PED scandal. How convenient that just 10 minutes after he "stormed" out of the proceedings his representatives sent out a prepared statement. And when he flatly denies taking steroids or attempting to tamper with witnesses or evidence in the case, I flatly think he's lying. As usual. Sorry, A-Fraud, but for most of us your sideshow distraction won't camouflage the fact that you're a cheater, a liar and, yes, a fraud. If A-Fraud really is innocent, why did it take him this long to say so? And why did he do it on a radio show, and not under oath?

*I said yesterday that the Rangers would miss David Murphy more than Nolan Ryan. Now you know why. Daniels is the organization's baseball brain. And Fielder is the new face of the franchise.

*Considering she's now suffered major injuries in violent crashes twice in nine months, I've about decided that Lindsey Vonn just isn't a very good skier.

*A sign of where our world is today: Despite his admissions of smoking crack, drunken stupors and talking about "pussy" in press conferences, Toronto mayor Rob Ford has 5 city council members and 25% of the population backing him to remain in office. In America we allow crazy Charlie Sheen to go on tour. But in Canada they allow crazy Rob Ford to remain mayor.

*And just like that, the longest-tenured Ranger is pitcher Matt Harrison, who arrived in the Mark Teixeira trade in July of 2008.

*For the first time in the history of basketball, a player has been held 87 points below his scoring average in a game. Only days after scoring 109 points in a Division III game, Grinnell College's Jack Taylor last night scored ... 3. He was triple-teamed into 0-of-5 shooting. His team, somehow, still managed to win.

That's a dumb comparison. Cruz admitted his use, served his time and moved on. A-Rod has done nothing to admit his use, sued everybody but God (and that might be pending) and has acted like a first class spoiled a-hole.

It has nothing to do with Ranger fan lunacy, it has to do with knowing the difference between a nice guy who made a really stupid mistake and a world class jackass.

Don't start putting Fielder out front as the team leader, face of the franchise or any other label. Let the big man settle in a little. Some guys are better left to do their job without fanfare. From what I heard from the sportswriter out of Det yesterday he said something very similar to what Romo said after losing to Philly. Realistic outlook, but horrible PR with the fans. All I need to know about this trade is that Kins is not going to do the jog of shame to first after yet another shallow pop-up. All the females that don't like the idea of trading young and strapping Kins for younger, tubbier Fielder can go make some sandwiches and shut the hell up. This ain't an episode of The Bachelor. I don't care if Player X looks like somebody took a wire brush to his face as long as he does his job and plays well. Oh and that dude from FanGraphs that was on with BaD yesterday? Guess what joker, the jet stream has been greatly diminished if you haven't noticed and yet moving the fences in Detroit has not made their air less heavy or warmer. Hope you like all those pop-ups that go to die up there in that fat air. Everybody hollering about his weight, Colon. He was supposed to be toast a couple of years ago. Do not underestimate the athletic fat man. After all the money shakes out it is 4 mill a year more to get rid of Kins, put a hitter at first and get Profar on the field every day? So very in. Jerry could not not not stand to have the spotlight taken away. And all he got was a collective meh. Yeah sure Jerry, we all know you are still in charge. Now go buy some more art. Try paying attention to your scouts next draft maybe. But, I doubt you will. Smartest man in the room you football savant. The only thing that rustles me out of my apathy towards a team that veers wildly from one side of the road to the other is a growing desire to see Jerry's pride injured.

The only thing that might make A-Rod's being run out of the game is if the Yankees still have to pay him. They will get a waiver since MLB has him nailed to the barn door, but I can dream.